Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency involves assessing and responding to general workplace safety risks, including the use of defensive tactics and/or restraining techniques. It also covers the care and maintenance of general field-based operational/safety equipment.

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Application of the unit 

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Monitor and assess situational risks in workplaces 

1.1. Situational safety is monitored and assessed  and well informed judgements are made according to agreed operational practices and the surrounding environment.

1.2. Potential risks  to own safety, the safety of fellow officers and members of the public are quickly and correctly identified, assessed and monitored.

2. Maintain a safe working environment

2.1. Operational safety responses/procedures are identified and/or planned and implemented to ensure safe working practices .

2.2. Equipment, materials and environment are assessed for hazards and protective action is planned to ensure the health and safety of people.

2.3. Safety issues  are evaluated and conveyed to relevant officers and alternate responses devised.

2.4. Appropriate personal protective equipment  (PPE ) is correctly identified, worn/utilised and maintained according to manufacturer guidelines.

2.5. Faults, breakdowns and/or deficiencies in PPE are immediately reported to responsible officer.

2.6. Incidents are identified and observations are recorded and reported accurately, promptly and in the required format to relevant personnel.

3. Employ defensive tactics

3.1. Situations are assessed correctly and informed judgements made as appropriate for the use of defensive tactics and/or physical restraint techniques.

3.2. Defensive tactics and /or restraining techniques  are applied according to surrounding conditions.

3.3. Accoutrements  are, at all times, used with due regard to personal safety and that of others.

3.4. Maintenance of accoutrements is undertaken and any losses, damage and/or faults immediately reported to the appropriate officer.

3.5. Documentation regarding the use of force or the use of accoutrements is completed and submitted.

3.6. Defensive tactics and restraining skills are applied at the appropriate situations and to organisational standard.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• advising others of safety issues/concerns
• communicating with a wide range of community members, such as those with physical/sensory/intellectual impairment and cultural differences
• communicating safety issues/concerns to colleagues, supervisors and, when necessary, other emergency service workers and the public
• minimising workplace risks to self, colleagues and the public
• planning, implementing and, where necessary, adapting workplace safety responses to situational contexts
• recognising and accurately assessing situational risks/hazards
• safe operation and use of general issue and emergency PPE
• the most appropriate 'use of force' (restraining and defensive tactics) and use of accoutrements
• undertaking routine equipment maintenance.

Literacy skills used for :

• completing logs/damage reports
• reading manufacturer manuals and instructions
• reporting incidents and faults in equipment and safety clothing.

Required knowledge 

• established strategies to optimise safety under a range of operational scenarios
• general duty of care responsibilities
• logs/damage reports required and when they must be completed
• occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines for lifting and carrying persons
• organisational OHS legislation as it applies to policing
• organisational policy and procedures covering operational safety issues/practices
• potential risks associated with a full range of non-specialist operational activities
• the use of force, its legal parameters and reporting requirements in relation to operations.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit 

Assessment must confirm the ability to:

• ensure the safety of self and others through:

• identifying workplace safety risks
• following work practices
• using defensive tactics, when necessary.

Equipment is used in accordance with organisational policies and procedures and manufacturer guidelines and complies with OHS legislation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Evidence should be gathered over a period of time in a range of actual or simulated workplace environments.

Resources may include:

• all necessary equipment for operational safety
• vehicles and standard organisational operational accoutrements.

Method of assessment 

The following assessment methods are suggested:

• demonstration
• practical exercises that simulate an operation
• questions.

Guidance information for assessment 

This unit may be assessed holistically with other units within a qualification.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Workplaces  may include:

• at sea or on coastal regions, waterways or on land
• crime/incident scenes
• foot or mobile patrol environments
• piers or jetties, recreational and commercial fishing vessels, processing plants, aquaculture farms or other holding/display facilities.

Monitoring and assessing 

situations  may include:

• analysis of situational intelligence and evidence
• communication with other agencies, such as police or other emergency service workers
• community services
• gathering existing situational intelligence from colleagues
• identification and valuation of the potential risks (and their strengths) arising from a situation or a situation's particular timeframe
• local government
• public present at site
• reviewing previous reports
• techniques, such as personal observation.

Potential risks  may include:

• buildings, vessels, vehicles or property and could be already present or evolve as a result of actions taken
• matters or events that could harm persons.

Safe working practices  may include:

• use of force techniques/options/strategies
• lifting and carrying persons
• operation of patrol or surveillance vehicles and equipment, including accoutrements
• prevention of disease transmissions, zoonoses and dangerous animals
• risk assessment and contingency planning
• use and maintenance of safety clothing and equipment.

Safety issues  may include:

• faulty equipment
• inappropriate operational procedures
• need for skills enhancement.

PPE may include:

• buoyancy vest or personal floatation device (PFD)
• hard hat or protective head covering
• hearing protection (e.g. ear plugs and ear muffs)
• insulated protective clothing for freezers or chillers and refrigeration units
• non-slip and waterproof boots (gumboots) or other safety footwear
• personal locator beacon or Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
• protective eyewear, glasses and face mask
• protective outdoor clothing for tropical conditions
• rubber gloves, mitts or gauntlets, and protective hand and arm covering
• safety harness
• sun protection (e.g. sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses)
• warning devices (e.g. light wands, portable flashing lights, reflective and illuminated signs, and hand-held spotlights and torches) and safety signs/barriers/ warning tapes
• wet weather gear, waders and protective clothing, including reflective safety vests.

Defensive tactics and /or 

restraining techniques  include:

• the range of offensive/defensive skills and tactics sanctioned by an organisation to enable an officer to defend against or restrain persons attempting to physically harm themselves, the officer, colleagues or members of the public.

Accoutrements  may include

• handcuffs
• organisationally sanctioned/legal personal protection devices, such as Oleo-Capsicum (OC) sprays and MACE
• standard/general issue batons.

Unit sector 

Fisheries compliance

Co-requisite units 

Competency field